A Soul Unsung

I found Evermore to be a really quick and fun read, that was somewhat interesting. Ever isn't your normal stereotypical teenager that you find in most young adult books, these days. She's a bit different, unique in her own way. It's not hard to relate to her character at all and while she is likable on some levels, there were times when I found her a bit frustrating. She goes from being one of the more popular girls, to a pony-tailed freak who gets visits from her dead little sister and tries to block out the rest of the world with loud music filtered through her i-pod. I wasn't incredibly thrilled with the insta-love developed between Ever and Damien, but I did like the fact that his touch could calm the noise inside her head and at the same time, give her shivers. There was a definite connection there and I found myself wanting to see it explored a bit more, it was sort of sweet and romantic. Riley, I have so much love for this character, and she was only secondary but one of the most important things to Ever. She was totally adorable and was able to provide just the right amount of comedic timing when needed. I also enjoyed her purpose for being there and for showing Ever that she needed to move on, that some things were meant to happen and you just have to deal with them - that you can't change them no matter what you do. In a way Riley represented Ever's past, while still giving her the strength and push to move on and live her life the way that she should be doing, instead of clinging to what was. Riley's final moment with Ever in the book was one of the most emotional for me, personally. I couldn't help but ache for Ever in relation to the lonliness that she felt. There was good character and plot developments, the imagery and world building that Noel sets up is quite interesting, as is the otherworldly elements as well. If you're looking for something light and interesting, something akin to the House of Night series or The Vampire Academy, then I would suggest the The Immortal series most definitely.

Fracture is an amazing highly intense, heart pounding novel that is incredibly heart-wrenching. The simple range of emotion explored in this book, is so real and palpable that reader's can almost experience what the main protagonist (Delaney) is going through, when she wakes up from her horrifying accident. Miranda writes simply from the heart comprised of simple structure, that the journey and questions asked and answered and not answered for Delaney, are so emotionally compelling that you can't help but ache with her given the situation she's woken up to. It is incredibly hard not to feel for Delaney as she struggles with survior's guilt, at times becomes a bit self-destructive, and is dealing with the fact that she is brain damaged. She isn't the same as she was before, yet there's the question of is this a miracle or is this some sort of paranormal experience? Miranda does a wonderful job of marrying the two idea's and blending them quite well. The emotion Miranda packs into this novel, is powerful and quite palpable enough that the reader experiences things as Delaney goes through the motions of figuring out what to do next. There is a gripping and chilling fear palpitating through Delaney's veins as she tries to figure out whether or not she can trust the dark and mysterious Troy Varga. He seems to possess a very different outlook on their similar situations. Delaney, on the other hand, doesn't necessarily agree with him. In a moment, he becomes something much more frightening to her. Yet, there seems to be this strong magnetic pull towards him, that she can't quite stop herself from feeling. She is attracted to him and in a way, I personally think that scares her a bit. Miranda pens a beautifully poingant story of deep love and loyal friendship, with just a hint of paranormal mystery flourishing. Though, there is but a hint of paranormal mystery involved, this book doesn't possess demons, witches, or any supernatural beings of any kind. It does, however, beg the question of whether what happens to Delaney is a miracle or if it actually is a bit paranormal than most would like to believe. Fracture is wonderfully written and developed psychological thriller that is equal parts engaging, as it is suspensful, touching, and spectacular. The writing style is clean and cripst and the story is tightly written, but Miranda tackles the medical aspects of this novel in such a realistic way that her attention to detail is absolutely spot on and almost flawless. The way in, which, some of the scenes have been written are quite entrancing and I've no doubt that reader's will be enraptured as the story continues to unfold. The concept of Fracture is absolutely gripping and will be sure to keep reader's engaged until the last page has been turned. In short, Fracture is a wonderfully written novel that is incredibly memorable and should definitely be added to everyone's "to-be-read" pile. I'm sure that fans of Gayle Forman, Lauren Oliver, and Deb Caletti will be sure to love this incredibly touching and mystical novel.

Life Is But A Dream is an incredibly intense and emotional story told, in a somewhat unique way. The setting of this novel, is in a psychiatric facility and it's very different from the normal world. James attention to detail showcases what wonderful talent he possesses, as he so eloquently and almost lyrically paints the canvas of this atmosphere. The range of emotion explored in this novel, is heart-gripping, and quite telling. Yet, in some cases, a bit frustrating as well. The character's are interesting, the story told is compelling enough to keep reader's flipping the pages, and the careful way James has crafted this world is interesting enough. Sabrina, is diagnosed as being schizophrenic and is checked into the Wellness Center by her parents who are only seeking to help her to get better instead of continuing to struggle with her illness. Sabrina, on the other hand, is quite fearful of losing her dreams that she clings to. She has this undeniably interesting yet almost scary way of looking at the world and I actually loved how James was able to get inside her head and paint a picture of how she lived with her illness and the fear from the inside out. As fascinating as this character may seem at times (and she is), she is also frustrating as well. For instance, I personally didn't like that she was so willing to stop taking her medication and halt her progression of getting better, because Alex had convinced her to do so. It's not that Alex isn't an interesting character or that I didn't like him, it was the things that he was feeding Sabrina that she was so willing to believe naively that frustrated me as a reader. I liked that he cared about her and that there was someone else, with whom Sabrina could have a deep connection with, but I didn't like that he hindered her road to recovery a bit. If he loved her as he said he did (and I believe he did to a degree), then he wouldn't have convinced her to stop taking her meds. Alex, for all intent and purposes, will redeem himself later in the story. He is a likeable character, one reader's can sympathize with and enjoy to a fault, he just made a mistake I believe. I absolutely loved the way this novel started, the thing that hooked me was the blurb on the front cover of it, "Is the world crazy--or is she?" The writing was just absolutely beautiful and the story is emotionally charged. It's just beautiful and scary and special in a sense. Though, the only drawbacks for me, was that the pacing of the book moved a bit too slow for my liking.

Blood Wounds is a bone-chilling, suspenseful, keep reader's on the edges of their seat dark and thrilling read. It's rather interesting, that blood can both heal and wound at the same time, and to have Pheffer utilize that in a well developed, carefully crafted, and compelling novel is not only unique but quite a bit disturbing on some natural level. The writing and world building, were quite clever and her character's and their development throughout the novel as it builds to climax, were written and executed flawlessly. It did a magnificent job of showing that the world is dark, gritty, and violent just as much as it's filled with horrifying and tragic news of events that happen everyday in life. This is a book that will stay with readers, long after they've read it. It seems, in many ways, that it was one that almost needed to be written, so that the story could leave its mark on people however good or bad that would be. At certain points it was easy to connect and sympathize with Willa. She is strong, relatable, and incredibly brave, in the face of everything that she has to deal with as she's discovering who she is beneath the facade she presents to the world, learning how to be strong for herself, and discovering who her other half of her family is such as who her father is and her other siblings. Blood Wounds provides a dark gritty outlook on what a lot of young adults might be struggling with, such as the secret Willa keeps of her cutting. The lies, secrets, and pent up resentment are exposed and brought to the surface, as a way of showing that things may not always appear as they seem on the outside and certain actions can lead to events followed through. There is a broad range of psychological emotions and reactions to things that occurr, as the story progresses, that will keep the reader engaged as well as possibly causing them a bit of discomfort. It is a brillant mass of complications that is highly thought provoking and quite spectacularly written. At times, it appears difficult to take in some doses, but in other's reader's will be able to see there is a deeper meaning and reasoning for the story being told. Family is defined and re-defined in so many ways throughout this novel, that it's incredibly sad, yet beautifully illustrated in other's. For every action, there is a consequence or a price to be paid, and Blood Wounds will re-affirm that over and over. For everyone who is capable of doing good in the world, there are other's who are just as capable of promoting evil, violence, and carrying out horrific tragedies with none other than their victims blood on their hands. Reader's will get a sense of this, while reading this novel and it will stay with them long after they've turned the last page. It is a fast-paced, well written and developed, tension filled novel, that will chill reader's to the bone. It's likely a story that will be forgotten soon, perhaps that's the great thing about what Pfeffer has done with this story.

Stolen Away is quite a spectacular tale of romance and adventure. It's a wonderfully written book that involves the mystical and entrancing world of the fey, filled with dangerous peril, heart-pounding (possibly forbidden) romance, and epic adventures that await the main protagonist. The fae world is not only enticing, but fascinating as well. Harvey's special care in creating such an amazing world that provides an earthy backdrop for her characters, and the originality of the story she tells has introduced an interesting take on the world of the fae in general. One of my favorite things regarding the faeries and the different courts, was that the fae could shift into various animals and take on their forms. The character's were well written and established. Even though Eloise was the main protagonist of the novel, Jo ended up being my personal favorite. I enjoyed the fact that she walked to the beat of her own drum and possessed so much spunk and just seemed very likable and fun. The bond of friendship that Eloise, Jo, and Devin shared made this book even more fun to read. Their loyalty to one another, went above and beyond at times and made them even more likeable. Harvey did a wonderful job with character development and giving each of these character's their own sense of style and purpose, that possessed just the right amount of flare to have any reader falling in love with them. I appreciated the fact that there wasn't a love triangle introduced into this story, like so many young adult books tend to over-use. I think my favorite love connection to read about was the one happening between Jo and Eldric. They had a very interesting dymanic going on between them, because neither Jo or the rest of them can ever really know for sure whether or not Eldric will betray them or continue to help them. Plus, there's something so forbidden about these two, that makes me appreciation them even more. It's almost hard to describe, but there's this burning snap, crackle, and pop of fire between them - the perfect mix of chemistry to balance the other one out. Stolen Away is a fast-paced, beautiful look at the world of fey, that will defintiely keep anyone who enjoys fantasy novels entranced. The world Harvey has created is not only magical, but is filled with such richness and splendor in the story it has to tell and the history of the different fae courts interwoven amongst. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of Melissa Marr, Holly Black, or Julie Kagawa.

Dreaming Awake is a powerfully written, emotionally gripping story that hooks you and keeps you there as the rest of the story unfolds. It's beautifully written, almost lyrical in a sense, and the imagery is quite powerful and heartwrenching. This is the second installment in this gripping trilogy, filled with romance, betrayal, friendship, and heartache. The pace picks up a great deal and there is quite a bit of action, the character's are amazingly written and utilized in the best possible way. This time around, Theia struggles with the fact that the deal she made with Mara may just be her own un-doing in a sense. I'm not usually one for straight up love stories, so I was happy that there was a bit more action and point to the storytelling and a little less focus on the romance, as beautifully written as it was. With a bit of Mara's blood rushing through her veins, Theia is finding that there's power in it, and has come to the startling realization that she has this urge she never possessed before to feed on souls, which throws a couple of monkey wrenches into the story later on. Theia doesn't realize until it's pointed out to her later, that she's actually been drawing on this power. It was nice to see that her character development progressed in this book, that she became stronger and was able to overcome some of the obstacles thrown in her direction. The bond of friendship Theia shared with Ame and Donny, was definitely one of the best things about this novel. They were willing to go above and beyond, to ensure their friend's safety no matter what. Hayes world-building and masterfully written imagery of the Under are grotesquely mesmorizing and will pull you into the story right along with the terrifying character's that are basically walking nightmares. There are walking skeletons and one of the most imaginative yet disturbing things I've read about to date, sewn together handmaidens. The way these handmaidens are described, will give you chills. It's such a distorted vision filled with dark magic, intense vulnerability, and terrifying fears that may or may not come to pass. Not since this series, have I seen Under depicted in such a way that it left me visibly shaking while reading. And the cliffhanger that it leaves you with, will drop your jaw. This is definitely a book that you will want to read.

Immortal City is a good book to start with, for someone who doesn't normally read books about angels. It's interesting and cleverly written, fast-paced, and will keep you turning the pages. I personally enjoyed, the serial angel killer and the mystery that wrapped itself around the story in general. It made for quite an entertaining read that definitely had me captivated and curious to find out more. This book is a great start to a wonderful series that I'm sure will get better with each book. The chemistry that Maddy and Jackson share was definitely a highight for me, while reading this book. I really enjoyed the cat and mouse chase, the more Jackson wanted to be with her the more she gave him chase. But, by the end of the book, she does come around a bit and you can see that they are pretty much meant to be. Sometimes something as simple as what these two discovered, can be a good thing. Normally I enjoy the complexity of relationships such as these, but every once in a while it's refreshing to see the simpler side of things play out. And, as with any book, there were a couple of con's for me, just a couple of things that sort of mildly frustrated with me. For instance, in some parts, the book does end up feeling a bit choppy because the point of view switches without giving you any indication that it's going to happen. I found that to be mildly frustrating, personally. It would have been nice to have seen a little more character development or interaction between them, than what we was given. For instance, it would have been nice to have seen Maddy be a little bit more secure in who she was, rather than coming off as shy and insecure as she did. Over-all, I feel as if Speer was able to accomplish telling the story that he wanted to, and I wouldn't mind reading more about the world of angel's that he's created. I found them to be a bit creative and interesting. The mystery of the killer was certainly illusive and quite compelling as well and I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well written mystery.

R.G. Bullet's The Caldecott Chronicles, Issue #1 is the perfect horror novel for any zombie officianado out there. It's great start to a wonderfully grotesque world of zombies featured in an English estate. The illustrations are a great accompaniment to the horror story being told, which was very well developed and equal parts interesting and hilarious. It's quite the unique take on zombies in general, that I think any fan of horror fiction and zombies would enjoy it. I'm not usually the biggest zombie fan out there, but I actually found myself really enjoying this novel. The character's are interesting and colorful, the historical accuracy was a plus, and the imagery brought to life through wonderful prose was amazing. The character's in this short novel, are wonderfully written and definitely memorable. Saffy, who is a plucky village girl, who later becomes Rothchild's better half in a sense, is not only extremely likeable but also strong and full of attitude and courage befitting her. Together, these two, make such a wonderful pair of hero and herione. It is incredibly fun how a bit on the odd side of things, these two fall, but how extremely well they work when paired together. Their chemistry just has this crackle and simmer feel to it, that leaves the reader wanting to follow along with them even more. As much as I would have particularly preferred a bit more dialouge and intereaction between the character's, I cannot deny that the world R.G. Bullet has created was about as crazy and hysterically fun as the Simmons twins were. I would have also liked to have a bit more background brought to light on the zombie infestation as to the why's it finds itself residing at Caldecott. Yet, I feel as if these are questions that R.G. Bulter left us to ponder for ourselves, until the next installment which is The Caldecott Chronicles: Issue #2. In any case, I am definitely looking forward to discovering the rest of what the story has left to uncover. The Caldecott Chronicles is a cleverly written, suspenseful fast paced, action packed story told in a small package with promises of more to come. I was impressed with how well the illustration accompaniments were spaced out, because I originally thought I would be reading a complete graphic novel from the looks of it. It goes to show you, that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys horror fiction, particularly zombies, as it's such a fun read.

Pandemonium is a captivating, dangerous revolutionary tale of forbidden love, overwhelming strength in the face of overwhelming odds, and one girl's fight against the resistance to discover who she is. It is a spectacularly written tale of love and heartbreak, the struggle against resistance, and the journey of discovering one's inner self. Oliver's novel packs a highly intense emotional punch that will hit you hard and land you. It's beautifully written and highly suspenseful, it will keep you flipping the pages until you reach the end, begging for more. Pandemonium does a wonderful job of showing just how dreadfully repressing one society can be and introduces questions that have their own unique way of nagging at your mind. It is a strong compelling novel that continues the story where Delirium left off, building on strong vivid character development, introducing multi-complex layers added to the story already told, and imagery that lands you in the book right alongside the character's themselves feeling everything they're feeling and more. Lena has struggled with the decision to avoid having the government mandated treatment done and has chosen to become part of an Invalid community, where she has taken up ranks in fighting for a world where love is no longer considered to be a disease. She has truly transformed herself into a warrior, while having experienced the loss of Alex. She still persists and does it not only for herself and other's, but for him as well. I was truly amazed and inspired by how strong and beautiful and such a survivor, she has grown into. It's as if she's coming into her own, in a sense. I truly loved this stronger newer version of Lena, compared to the girl who couldn't quite take care of herself, was a bit on the insecure side of life, and was always so afraid most of the time. Of course, she still has her weaker moments, but for the most part this girl is a suvivor in every sense of the word. Lena has come quite a long way, since her days prior to escaping to the Wilds. Oliver does a magnificent job of weaving new character's into the plot and showcasing the burdens a couple of them shoulder, which ends up coming to light later on in the book in such a heartbreaking and devastating way. As the next phase of this adventure continues to mount, new questions come to the forefront, some are asked and answered and some aren't. There are new plot twists and turns, that will leave you breathless in anticipation of more to come. And there at the heart of all of the fighting, the surviving, the resistance, beats the heart of love at its very core. The letting go and moving on to the learning to let love in once more. It's such a beautiful story, full of so many moments of heartbreak, love, loyalty, friendship, suvival, and a fight for the greater good. It's not the end of the story that stays with you, but the journey that's so compelling and touching that you can't help but want to fight alongside these wonderful character's. If you thought Delirium made you cry, then Pandemonium will hit you where you'll really feel it and leave you reeling from the force of its blow. I am incredibly in love with how opposite Pandemonium is, when compared to Delirium. In all honesty though, I don't really think that you could compare the two, because I tend to think that they are two halves of a whole and you can't have one without the other. There is a balance there, between the two of them and a definite sense of growth. What Lauren Oliver did with Pandemonium is absolutely flawlness, in my opinion. Her prose is beautiful, the structure of the story, the imagery, the vivid character's with colorful personalities and strong complex thought provoking questions that arise. This is a book that you will absolutely not want to miss out, fans of The Hunger Games will definitely enjoy this wonderful dystopian trilogy.

A Touch Mortal is a wonderfully written, heart pounding, well established novel that will leave reader's yearning for the next book to come in the series. Clifford's writing is beautifully poetic and hauntingly moving, it lends itself well to giving wonderful background knowledge and multi-layered depth to certain character's. The cast of character's is vast, yet they are given strong multi-flavored personality characteristics that make them both likeable and relatable at best, in an attempt at giving the story strong purpose. Eden, the novel's main protagonist, is a strong-willed, intelligent, fiercely independent individual with quite a bit of spunk. She is easily likeable and reader's can and will find her character to be a bit sympathetic. Az and Gabe, are both interesting as well, and they come with their own set of choices, shouldered responsibility, and interesting plot twists that will leave reader's questioning them a bit, but still sympathetic to their own plight. One of the best things about this book and this cast of wonderful character's, is that none of them are black and white. While some may appear to be good on the outside, are in truth dark and sinister on the inside, as well as mysteriously intriguing. Clifford does a lovely job at focusing not only on developing the plot and moving it along at a rapid pace, but also in taking great care where her character's are concerned and making sure there is constant focus on them. They simply do not fade into the background, while taking a backseat to the plot. They stay, pretty much in the forefront of the book and where they belong. It's their story, really. She just gets to tell it. There are deeper meanings and moments, that are sprinkled through-out the book, that reader's will find engaging, captivating, and moving at best. Along with many suspenseful twists and turns in plot and dynamic, that will keep reader's gasping for more. The ending, is something that they will absolutely not see coming, yet they will be left wanting more. The world-building of this novel, is absolutely thrilling and fantastic. It is richly dark and compelling. Mysteriously filled with a gritty look at the underbelly of being touched mortal. The Sider's are an interesting aspect, interwoven in the plot and the references to both Heaven and Hell as Upstairs and The Basement are unique and fun in a darker sense of meaning. Clifford has this way of setting this dark eerie tone and blending it in so well that the atmosphere of her book is a bit chill-inducing. This isn't your typical novel involving angels swooping in to save the day. It's a much darker, grittier, bit of gory take on the other side. I'd say that I found it to be quite refreshing, that this novel was so uniquely and cleverly written, with brilliant character's and a wonderful suspenseful plot that was able to twist my stomach into knots with every twist and turn. The only drawback or reservation that I personally have with this book, is what appears to be insta-love that happens quite quickly between Az and Eden. As lovely as they were to read, more and more I feel as if insta-love is being used a little too frequently for my tastes. I would much prefer a strong slow-buring build-up to a romanctic relationship between two cleverly written character's, than for any would-be relationship to appear to be this easy. I guess, I just don't personally understand the mechanics of insta-love or the appeal for it. Love isn't love in just a matter of seconds or a twenty-four hour timespan. It happens over a period of time, as one character gets to know another one, and proceeds to fall in love with them and then they go through a series of moments before they realize just how much the other character means in their life. I just wish it wouldn't have been so easy between Az and Eden in the beginning. I found myself feeling a bit sorry for Adam, as he was falling love with Eden all the while she could never fully let him in or feel for him, what he felt for her because Az took up a great deal of her heart. That was a love triangle, that I found quite enjoyable, even though I was a touch more inclined to be sympathetic moreso to Adam than in Az's behalf. Though I never saw the plot twist coming as far as Adam or Libby were concerned, which plucky and genius Clifford gets definite bonus points for that. A Touch Mortal is an action-packed, highly emotionally charged, thrilling, intensely amazing gothic novel that will take reader's breath away. I would recommend this book to fans of Lauren Kate's Fallen series or Kelly Creagh's Nevermore. They will love this series.

Dragonswood is a dark alluring powerfully epic high fantasy filled with wonderfully delicious hidden secrets, intrigue, and enchanting mystical realms that will leave readers breathless. From the start, it is deeply compelling and masterfully written, filled with wonderfully developed characters and dangerous action-packed trials facing them. Carey exudes stunning world building skills and introduces a unique spin on fulfilled prophecies. It is a lively mystical tale unlike any other that has come before it. Vastly fascinating and cleverly suspenseful, with the perfect harmonious blend of paranormal and fantasy. Tess, the heroine, finds herself at a cross roads with fate and faces the question of how to shoulder the destiny that lies ahead of her and how to survive the outcome that may befall. The world surrounding Tess visions becomes desperate, as they keep showing a mysterious man wielding a sword. This raises many questions as to who he is and what part he has to play in this epic battle. Carey's characters are brightly vivid with a twinge of darkness and beautifully developed, while still possessing hidden flaws of their own. Tess, for example, is a strong and loyal heroine and friend, yet even she will falter a bit in the way of betraying her friends to a degree. It paints the perfect portrait of not being perfect, yet still possessing likable and desirable characteristics that readers will find appealing. The romance between Tess and Garth is wildly daring and is exquisitely heart pounding, fueled by a strong magnetic attraction that builds and builds, pulling towards destiny and each other. It is handled in such a truly magical and splendid way, that readers will fall hopelessly in love with these two. It's just so natural and pleasing. Dragonswood is an action-packed, highly intense story that will leave readers clamoring for more of the fantasy and the developing mythos as unpredicted twists and turns become more and more evident in the journey. It is such a riveting fantastical story that will surely hook readers. Fans of Scott Tracey's Witch Eyes, Amber Argyle's Witch Song, or even the intriguing writing style of Tamora Pierce will be sure to enjoy this novel. Readers will definitely not want to miss out on this high epic tale of fantasy, filled with talking dragons who's status as lords are vastly important to the mythos and magical realms in which they live in or precarious little faeries they'll be introduced to along the journey. It is sure to remind them, that it's not necessarily the destination that makes the story worth telling, but the journey along the way.

Illuminate is an exciting mystical tale full of independence intermingled with luxurious splendor, and the knowledge of greater strength yet to be discovered. It is a cleverly written and breath-taking whirlwind of intrigue with a rich and wildly dark but compelling story arc. Powerfully alluring and filled with beautiful people and dark illustrious sinister plots sure to hook readers and draw them in this enthralling and enchanting world. It isn’t just another novel involving angels. It's so much more than that, boldly daring to be extraordinarily original. It is a tale readers won't be forgetting anytime soon, as it transports them to a magical place full of mystery, power, and undeniable suspense. It is a lively and highly influencing story filled with dark and alluring characters. The beautiful people, as they’re referred to, full of so much power, flawed realistically, and fascinating mystery. Their tale is wondrous and will draw readers in and keep them enchanted and mesmerized. These are characters that are not to be forgotten anytime soon. Haven is such a delightful heroine to get to know and is well developed as the novel progresses. She is such a lovely well-rounded fearless character that possesses such a likeable quality, filled with compassion and intelligence. The romance she shared with Lance was one of the sweetest things about the novel. It's incredibly easy to connect with these magnificently written characters, as Agresti writes them in such a realistic and delightfully enjoyable way. Illuminate is filled with wonderful twists and turns that will surely leave readers intrigued with the mystery all the way through to the end. It is such a beautifully written fast-paced, well-developed action packed tale full of heart stopping danger and wonderfully sinister villains with dark agendas of their own. It's exciting and daring and highly original, it is sure to make Agresti a fast favorite and stand out in the world of young adult fiction. Agresti is an amazing new debut author bursting onto the scene with such a captivating and compelling novel that readers are sure to love. Fans of the illustrious Michelle Zink, the awe-inspiring richly dark tales of Lauren deStefano, and the intriguing writing style of Kimberly Derting will be sure to enjoy this wonderful pulsating novel full of wonder and amazement.

Monstrous Beauty is an intensely dark and seductive, richly compelling beautiful awe-inspiring mystical tale of fantasy. It is full of gorgeous heart-wrenching prose and stunning imagery. The world Fama creates is unlike any other and quite unique. It is just highly thought-provoking, gripping and filled with a tremendous amount of powerful emotion. It is just masterfully written and Fama does a wonderful job of drawing readers into an alluring tale full of mystery, deep hidden secrets, and a colorful cast of well established characters. The idea that love is an undiagnosed genetic defect that runs in Hester's family, is a plot premise that I've personally not read yet and a breath of fresh air. It is certainly one that is very thought-provoking and well thought out on Fama's part. There are so many dark twists and turns through out this entire novel, that readers will be unable to put it down. There's something strange and sad about the history regarding Hester's family and the blending of past and present, was handled beautifully. So many memorable characters graced the pages, but the ones that managed to stay with me personally were Hester, Syrenka and Ezra. It is incredibly heartbreaking that love as powerful as Syrenka's love for Ezra, would cause such horrific and deadly consequences. She was such an awe-inspiring and powerfully fierce character, that was so easily relatable and one can't help but feel inexplicably saddened at her predicament. She is not without her flaws, which is one of the things I grew to love about her. Syrenka is wild and animalstic and often acts on instinct rather than thinking before. To love so feircely and earnestly with everything she had, giving up as much as she gave up, and to only have it end in such tragedy is bound to strike a chord with any reader as they follow along with this story. There is so much going on with this novel, from dark hidden mysteries from the depths of the murky sea, to ghosts, mermaids, and family curses. Monstrous Beauty is so full of tragedy, mystery, intrigue, and heart-pounding sorrow and love. It is such an action-packed, dark, and boldly rich tale of love and heartbreak, betrayal and murder filled with cunning villains, a strong herione that inspires, and breath-taking romance. Readers will not be disappointed with the dark and alluring tale that Fama has woven together.

Bloodrose is a thrilling, capitvating, action-packed ending to a wonderful trilogy written by the lovely Andrea Cremer. It does a marvelous job in picking up where Wolfsbane left off, with a few unexpected twists and turns that reader's won't be expecting. There's epic danger, intense emotion, and incredible action that will leave reader's breathless with anticipation. The balance between everything from highly intense emotion to danger filled action is handled with great care, up until the end which is the only exception in my personal opinion. The world she has created is filled with amazing character's, heart-breaking tragedy, loss, betrayal, and heart-pounding love. It's brilliantly creative and will stay with reader's, whether good or bad. It was absolutely wonderful to see Ren back, he was always such a brilliantly dark, mysterious, and thrilling character to read. He won my heart immediately and never lost it. It was interesting to witness the dynamic between both him and Shay in this final installment to this series, and Calla's part that she had to play obviously. The love triangle was enough to leave reader's breathless in anticipation of Calla's decision to come, after the war. I liked seeing these two males who normally assert their alpha's having to find a way to work together for the benefit of the pack and fight the war alongside one another. While it was nice to see Calla grow in character development and assert her own alpha leadership in order to fight the war with everything she had to give, I feel as if it made her a weaker individual. She's so far from being the Calla that I personally fell in love with in Nightshade. There were moments where I grew disappointed in her and disappointed in the direction that I feared the novel was headed in. It pains me greatly to say this, as this is a series that I immediately became enamored with, but I would be remiss if I didn't say that I personally feel as if it's quite weak to create a heart-aching tragedy just so the main herione doesn't have to make the choice she's obviously going to have to make at the end of the book. It was un-fair and completely unbalanced all together and incredibly hard to swallow. I honestly don't know that I can say that Bloodrose was a fantastic ending to a wonderful trilogy, but I can say that it was wildly passionate, thrilling, and captivating up until the ending which I cannot agree with personally. I understand other's may disagree, so don't just take my words for it, read it for your ownself and then you decide whether you agree or disagree. Without any doubts at all, I can say that the journey has been immensely painfully amazing and highly emotionally un-expected and for those reasons alone you should read it.

Night Swim is a fearlessly haunting portrait of a broken family, filled with deep thoughtful reckonings, heart-shattering greif, the uneasy feeling of spiraling out of control during a time of historical growth for a nation of chaos during the 1970's. It follows the story of a strong, passionate, and often times fierce young heroine who is made of steel, yet she is often filled with quiet vulnerabilities that has a way of drawing reader's in making them want to see inside her - see the quiet gentle soul of a young woman on the verge of something more. The nature and beauty that Keener put into this story, is enough to leave reader's breathless. Sarah is so much more than what any reader would expect in a main herione, she's chalk full of so much grit and spit-fire and determintation to survive and overcome any obstacle thrown in her path. Her triumphs and sorrows, do wonderfully well at providing reader's with such a lyrically beautiful insight into who she is and what makes her a survivor. There is a tenderness and a wondering sense of beauty that makes this novel stand apart from any, I've personally read in the last year. Night Swim isn't just another book to be packed away on a shelf somewhere or stowed away in a box to collect dust. This is a deeply rich and highly emotional story that is sure to upset the delicate balance in anyone's world. The fact that Sarah gains so much of her strength in who she is from the relationships she shares with her brothers, parents, and other individuals present in her life is enough to remind reader's that just because something appears one way it doesn't necessarily mean that's the way it is. This is a novel that is about keeping secrets, letting go, learning to live with the truth once it's out, and above all else: surviving insurmountable odds. One of the best things about this novel is the fact that Keener isn't afraid to tackle controversial topics and meets them head on, with strength and precision in her writing that's not only beautiful, but poetically lyrical in a sense. But above all else, this novel reminds me of something a really good friend of mine always says, "I have to believe that it will get better." Night Swim is the type of novel that will stay with reader's, leave them feeling in the wake of the aftermath, struggling just as much as to survive and find their independence as Sarah does, and will them thought provokingly emotional. This is a novel not to be missed out on. One, that I highly suggest you read at least once, if not more.

Wings of the Wicked is a richly dark compelling world full of intense action and deep flickering soul consuming volatile emotion. It hits hard and fast with epic doseages of high-speed adrenaline in a race to save humanity once again from the dangers of Hell's strongest reapers. The biblical mythology is explored even further, as certain ancient relics are brought to light, and Ellie and her other Heavenly counterparts must obtain before they fall into the wrong hands. It is insurmountably more vicious, filled with bold admissions, and secrets that are unexpected. Wings of the Wicked is an incredibly powerful explosion filled with dark illuminous trechary, dangerous twists and turns, and an ending that will leave readers gasping. Ellie is not your average normal herione found in most young adult fiction. She's grown incredibly stronger in character development, which has deeply enriched her quite a bit. As broken as she is by the losses she incurrs along the way in this novel, she still remains as strong and vigilant in her fight against the dark evil forces she must endure. She never once waivers or turns her back on her duty, instead she takes it on full force and shoulders it quite well given the fact that she has to learn how to balance coming across as a normal teenager and dealing with the relization that she's Gabriel the Archangel. There is a moment or two of weakness, but that's to be expected when you lose two important people who've played major roles for various reasons in your life, that can be excused. Wings of the Wicked is definitely a book that will keep readers on their toes as they're turning the pages. The triangle was very well written into place and utilized to the best of Moulton's writing, as the reader was allowed little glimpses into the history shared between Ellie and Will, and the newly emerging gravitational attraction that was obviously apparent between Ellie and Cadan. He is such a dark, thrilling, and uniquely mysterious attractive guy. He's evil and he has some secrets of his own that will come towards the end that readers will not be expecting, but there is definitely some savable quality about him. I personally found myself enjoying the few small scenes that he had with Ellie, than I did with her and Will. In short, this novel is chalk full of epic battle scenes, mysteriously dark secrets that tumble forth, love, lives shattered, loyalties and boundaries tested, and incredible heartache. Wings of the Wicked is not a novel that readers will want to miss, in this phenomental new awe-inspiring series. Fans of the Buffy/Angel mythology will sure to love this fast-paced, action-packed, romantic epic thriller.